Why design interventions? To change the way they think and act (mindset & behaviour).
What must we pay attention to when we design interventions? -You cant influence persistent and resistant behaviour until you know the forces driving it, i.e the root causes. -You must diagnose before you can prescribe.
INFLUENCING TO CHANGE BEHAVIOURS Key influencing principles and strategies for changing the way people think and behave
Copyright 2008 by VitalSmarts, LLC Can we influence behaviour change?
70% of change efforts in organizations fail.
Findings in the fields of psychology and sociology suggested otherwise. - The Influencer methodology references over 5 decades of research on behaviour change, from social scientists and skilled practitioners whose influence efforts routinely led to sustainable improvements. - The same theories and principles have been applied successfully to over 2 dozen organizational projects. These people have been able to effect change solely through their ability to influence human thought and action Dr. Mimi Silbert, founder/CEO Delancey St. Foundation. 91% of felons/inmates changed for good after 2 years
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace prize winner & founder of Grameen Bank. Helped 7 million people to overcome poverty.
Dr. Wiwat, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. Reduced the spread of HIV in early 90s by over 80% in late 90s
Dr. Donald Hopkins, Vice President, Carter Foundation, Georgia. Reduced 3.5 million cases of guinea worm disease in early 90s to only 10,000 by end of 2005 Mike Miller, Vice President of Billing Systems, Telecommunications industry Reduced billing costs by 30%, improved quality by 25% and increased employee satisfaction by 20%, all in 9 months. Exercise 1.0 Identify a behaviour that you want to change: a) In yourself, and b) In others/ someone else
Write this on one post-it note for each behaviour Exercise 2.0 One of your employees repeatedly and against company policy returns from lunch late. This has been going on for a long time and youve already talked to him/her about it several times.
Diagnose all the reasons this might be happening . Write each possible reason you come up with on a post-it note.
Pre-conditions to influencing change
In order to improve our existing situation, what must people actually do? What are the specific behaviors you want to change? b. Search for Vital Behaviours
Is it worth it? Can they do it? c. Change the way people think (Convince others to change their minds) Influence geniuses do not develop an influence strategy until theyve carefully identified the specific behaviours they want to change a. Clear and Compelling change, with measurable results
Clarify what you want, why you want it and when you want it. Remember: Behaviours are actions, not results or qualities 1. Specify the behaviours -What are the acts, actions or activities you want them to do?
-What acts, actions or activities do want them to stop?
2. How can I change the way people think?
To influence behaviour change, we need to help others answer only 2 questions Whats in it for me? How can I benefit? Will I be able to be cured? Will it bring me happiness? WILL IT BE WORTH IT? (motivation)
Am I able to do it? Will I be able to cope? What will happen if I do it? CAN I DO IT? (ability) When we find a way to change how individuals think, theyre well on the way to changing their behaviour : Influencer, by Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan and Switzler (McGraw Hill 2008) Tips on how to convince others to change their minds When it comes to persistent and/or resistant problems, verbal persuasion rarely works. It often comes across as nagging or manipulation Tip #1Nothing changes minds faster like actual real life experience or data Come up with innovative ways to create the personal experience; otherwise create vicarious experiences. Create the vicarious experience: watching others in action is the next best thing to experience some thing on your own. Tip #2Use stories to help change minds stories help individuals transport themselves away from the role of a listener and into the story itself (from critic into the role of participant).
MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN 3. Making change happen. 2. Change the way people think. 1. Search for vital behaviours.
THE FRAMEWORK FOR CHANGE How do you go about making change happen ? - Three types of forces influence motivation and ability MOTIVATION ABILITY PERSONAL Make the undesirable desirable Surpass your limits SOCIAL Harness peer pressure Find strength in numbers STRUCTURAL Design rewards and demand accountability Change the environment THE SIX SOURCES OF INFLUENCE FRAMEWORK Influencer/The Power to Change Anything: Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler (McGraw Hill 2008) 1 3 5 2 4 6 Key questions MOTIVATION ABILITY PERSONAL Make the undesirable desirable Do they hate it? Do they find meaning in it? Does it fit into their sense of who they are and who they want to be? Surpass your limits I cant I dont know how I never learned that Nobody ever thought me I keep trying, but I cant figure it out SOCIAL Harness peer pressure Are often people (including me): Encouraging the right behaviour Discouraging the wrong behaviour
Find strength in numbers Do others ( including me) provide (or withold): Help Information Resources Required, particularly at critical times? STRUCTURAL Design rewards and demand accountability Non-human motivators: Are rewards- pay, promotions, performance reviews, perks or costs, encouraging the right behaviours or discouraging the wrong behaviours?
Change the environment Non-human enablers: Does the environment (tools, facilities, information, reports, proximity to others, policies, etc) enable good behaviour or bad? Are there enough cues and reminders to help people stay the course? THE SIX SOURCES OF INFLUENCE FRAMEWORK THE END BACK-UP MATERIAL INFLUENCER The power to change anything Prologue How influence affects change and what are its pre-conditions. Search for vital behaviours. Change the way people think. Making Change Happen The framework for change
Can we influence behaviour change? Organizations have very little to show for lasting change. - 70% of change efforts fail. - Based on research, the authors contend that there were embarrassingly few examples of (organization) leaders who had been successful at influencing employees to act in new ways.
Findings in the fields of psychology and sociology suggested otherwise. - As such the authors referred to over 5 decades of research on behaviour change, from social scientists and skilled practitioners whose influence efforts routinely led to sustainable improvements. - These findings also mirrored the same theories and principles that the authors had applied when successfully executing influence strategies to over 2 dozen organizational projects. What is an Influencer?
The essence of leadership An INFLUENCER motivates others to change
An INFLUENCER replaces bad behaviours with effective new skills An INFLUENCER makes things happen Influencer/The Power to Change Anything: Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler (McGraw Hill 2008) PROLOGUE
HOW INFLUENCE AFFECTS CHANGE AND WHAT ARE ITS PRE-CONDITIONS
SEARCH FOR VITAL BEHAVIOURS 1. Search for Vital Behaviours
Focus on behaviours, not outcomes - Advise people what they are actually supposed to do, and not just what to achieve. Identify specific behaviour(s) for people to enact. Give special attention to key high leverage behaviours. - Dont dilute your efforts by giving equal concentration on everything. Study best practices Learn from influence masters who have done it successfully Study positive deviance Look for people, time or places where you or others dont experience the same problems, and try to determine the unique behaviours that make the difference. Search for recovery behaviours Develop a recovery plan as people are going to make mistakes Identify crucial moments first if vital behaviours are hard to identify. CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK Influence can effect change INFLUENCE The ability to change the way people think and behave Everybody is an influencer - Its the one job that cuts across every stage of our life. Its our duty to become good at exerting influence.
Influencing can be learned Our lack of influence stems from lack of skill rather than character flaw/lack of motivation So what do have to do if we want to influence and change the way people think and behave? People give more credence to a story than cold hard facts How stories can captivate a listener Step 1 Make your listener/reader identify your character as someone he knows
Step 2 Arouse the emotions of the listener/reader make him feel as if he is a participant of an exciting drama, rather than as a spectator LaLajos Egri, creative writing expert
Why change seems impossible
There is rarely one cause There is a combination of causes You cant influence persistent and resistant behaviour until you know the forces driving it You must diagnose before you can prescribe Formulating simple solutions to complex and persistent problems almost never works SIMPLISTIC INFLUENCE METHODS Pass a law/set up policies, regulations & directives Threaten a consequenc e Restructure /re- engineer Conduct training programme All influence/change masters agree that it takes a combination of strategies aimed at a handful of vital behaviours to solve persistent and pervasive problems Personal motivation - Make the undesirable desirable DESIRABL E - Intrinsic satisfaction - They care about it TRY IT, YOULL LIKE IT VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE MAKE IT A GAME - Turn a chore into play - Keep a score to chart accomplishment and generate satisfaction What if vital behaviours are still not desirable? Make it an issue of personal significance - it defines who they are - personally defining moment
Engage in moral thinking moral quest (Guidant, medical devices company).
Engage in moral thinking: Win hearts by honouring choice. A change of heart cannot be imposed, it can only be chosen William Miller Motivational interviewing replace judgment with empathy, and lectures with questions (dont lecture, listen) to gain commitment. Lessons from Miller/Heath/Graham: when you surrender control, you win the possibility of influencing even addictive and highly entrenched behaviours. 2. Personal ability- Surpass your limits Demand deliberate practice: Practice Break the skill into small parts Get feedback from a coach Prepare for setbacks
Note: Will power is an ability that can be learned
3 & 4. Social motivation and ability
3. Harness the power of social pressure by finding strength in numbers a) Pave the way / make a difference b) Enlist the power of those who motivate Opinion leaders (not innovators) Formal leaders and neighbours/ colleagues 4. Seek and support of those who enable: a) 1. The wisdom of crowds b) 2. Focus group discussions
5. Structural motivation
5. Ensure that costs and incentives support the desired behaviours: a) Use rewards third and in moderation b) Link rewards to vital behaviours c) Use rewards that reward
6. Structural ability
6. Change the environment to make bad behaviours harder and good behaviours easy: a) Use the power of space b) Use the power of data and cues Change the report you routinely view to parallel your goals and values Post visual directions Place reminders in key spots
c) Use the power of tools Mechanise difficult work Reorganise workflow Update manuals, policies and procedures